


The Last Goodbye

by EleanoraMcKogane



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Cuban Lance (Voltron), Eventual Keith/Lance (Voltron), Gay Keith (Voltron), Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt Lance (Voltron), Insecure Lance (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Fluff, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Lance (Voltron)-centric, M/M, Oblivious Keith (Voltron), Oblivious Lance (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Slow Burn Keith/Lance (Voltron), Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron), Soft Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2020-03-08 21:08:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,045
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18902683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EleanoraMcKogane/pseuds/EleanoraMcKogane
Summary: First published on Instagram (username: @/eleanoramckogane)





	1. Part

"I guess this is it," Lance says sadly, his eyes downcast and staring at nothing but his feet.

"Yeah, I guess so," Keith replies in a huff.

"So… Hum…" Lance starts but his voice falters.

"I should..." Keith says and Lance hesitantly lifts his eyes to glance his way, noticing how he bites his lips as he points with his thumb to where they came from. "You know, I should probably…"

"Oh, yeah," Lance's heart drops to the floor. He suddenly feels deflated, the adrenaline of their date slowly cooling and leaving him completely empty.

 _One date,_ Lance had said, _before you leave._

He had expected Keith to find an excuse to refuse it but when he had said yes, Lance had felt over the moon, ecstatic in giving him the best goodbye date ever.

_Goodbye!_

Such a harsh word. It didn't taste good in his tongue, didn't even sound correct in his mind.

He didn't like it.

And now it was time to part ways, to say the dreaded goodbye and Lance couldn't bring himself to say the damn word that would take Keith from him forever.

 _Goodbye_ is also a cruel word.

"I enjoyed our night," Keith comments and Lance sees him searching for his eyes. He gives Lance a small smile that barely lifts Lance's sadness. "Thank you for it."

"Anytime," Lance replies shrugging his shoulder not knowing how to react to the emptiness that was slowly consuming him.

_I can't say it, I don't want to say it…_

"So…?" Keith puckers his lips and sways on the balls of his feet, waiting, expectant.

But for what Lance didn't know.

When Lance doesn't say anything, when no words and no reaction comes out, Keith's face falls and he clears his throat. "Well, take care of yourself."

Lance nods with his head, too scared to talk for the lump in his throat constricts his airway.

He wants to speak though, wants to grab Keith and beg him to stay.

But he can't... he's not brave enough to admit his feelings.

And the word _goodbye_ lingers dangerously in the air, tangible enough to squeeze the breath out of him.

Keith eyes him, a shadow crossing his expression. He lifts a hand to Lance's shoulder, patting him comfortably. Lance's entire body heats at the touch, wanting to feel it burst into fireworks.

 _"Goodbye_ Lance," Keith whispers.

And with these words he turns on his heels and starts walking and all Lance can do is watch him leave, the words he wants to say hanging on his open mouth but no sound coming out.

Just a pained grunt as his mind echoes Keith's name, willing him to turn around, to give him one last glance.

But Keith doesn't turn. Lance didn't even have the chance to memorise his last glance, his last smile, his last touch.

Goodbye is much more than a cruel word; it's Lance's future in the form of Keith disappearing around the corner.

_Keith… No, come back… I… God... I…_

He clenches his fist and smacks his own thigh, tears blurring his vision and his chest heavy with the feeling of utter failure, of utter disappointment at himself for not being brave enough to speak out his feelings.

"Stupid, stupid," he groans through gritted teeth.

He spins on the spot, ready to dash from the street and into the night, ready to forget the hurt of his broken heart.

He should have said the words, should have shown Keith how much he loves him and wants him to stay.

He should have tried harder.

He spins again, breathing heavily through his nostrils and mustering whatever courage he has to order his feet to move forward.

 _Go after him,_ he tries to tell them, _go before it's too late._

But now it was too late.

Keith would be leaving first thing in the morning.

_No! I'm not giving up!_


	2. Part 2

Lance races up the stairs to his apartment two at a time. His keys rattle as he clumsily opens the door, turns on the lights and begins his quest.

He opens drawers, shuts them with a bang; he throws his jackets over his shoulder, not caring about the mess.

All he cares is that one thing he moved skies and earth to get for Keith all those months ago and never had the chance to give it to him.

Until now when his heart hammers against his ribcage and his mind screams _hurry hurry before you lose him._

He pats one of his jackets - the green one with the hoodie Keith gave him - and finds what he was searching for.

His hands are shaking as he opens the lid of the small box and a sigh of utter relief shakes his whole body.

Then he's dashing out of the apartment, flying down the steps  and not even caring that he has left the door open or not.

_Hurry. Hurry, before it's too late._

The chilly night air hits him in the face the moment he steps outside and he's _running…_

_Run… just run..._

He runs down the street following the invisible footsteps Keith has left not even ten minutes ago and he prays to whoever is listening to grant him just this one opportunity.

And he runs faster…

Until he sees _him_ and almost trips over his own feet as his heart seems to want to chase after Keith faster than Lance can run. He doesn't have the breath to call for him but he doesn't need to.

Keith stops in his tracks, shakes his head vehemently and then abruptly turns on his heels, determined. Lance can read his posture in the short distance that still separates them.

Lance's feet gain a new vigour and he sprints forward. And Keith is coming up to him too and before Lance has any time to process that small fact, he's wrapping his arms around Keith, squeezing him tight and reveling in his relief.

Words come out in a sequence of hurried mumbles that somehow they manage to understand, hands grabbing at each other's clothes not only to bring them closer but also to make sure they don't simply slip through their fingers.

“Don't go…” “I can't leave…” “I love you.” “I love you too,” “Stay.”

Then they're pulling away just enough to look at each other's eyes and Lance feels that same twisting sensation on his stomach that normally weakens his legs.

He cups Keith's cheek alongside his scar with his hand and his heart leaps when Keith leans into the touch with a loud exhale that tickles Lance's skin.

"Don't go," Lance whispers, repeating his words and feeling Keith swallow as he blinks and then looks up at him. "Please, _stay."_

"Lance, I…" Keith swallows again, dampens his lips which catches Lance attention and heats his cheeks and then smiles ever so faint and timidly. "I never wanted to go. I want to stay… because of _you."_

Keith pauses and Lance didn't even realise he wasn't breathing until Keith turns his face enough to plant a soft kiss on his palm.

Lance inhales sharply at the gesture and feels his pulse spike exponentially, every single cell on his body electrified. He's heart just went into overdrive and Lance is sure he's about to short-circuit any time now.

“Keith, I-” Lance clears his throat when the words come out in a croak and shakes his head to clear it, to gather his wits and courage. “Keith, I have something for you.”

Keith looks at him puzzled, a wrinkle forming on his forehead. Lance wills himself to calm down, to stop shaking but the adrenaline pumps through his veins in wisps of fire.

“Here,” he says raising his other hand and offering Keith the box. "I've wanted to give you this for a while but I didn't know how. No matter what happens now, I want you to have this."

Keith glances down at the box and Lance can see a flush deepening and he finds it cute, adorable and fights the urge to step forward and kiss his cheeks only to fluster him further.

Instead he just watches as Keith picks up the box - he also notices that Keith is also shaking a little - and carefully opens it.

"Lance!" Keith gasps as he glances at him, indigo eyes wide in surprise and clearly teary. Lance just gives him a smile, brushing raven locks from his face as Keith returns his gaze to his gift.

With trembling fingers he takes out his father's badge from the box, caressing the golden star that immortalises the bravery of a hero that was Keith's father, his contribution as a fireman forever remembered by those who lived to tell his tale.

“I thought I'd lost it.” Keith says tucking the badge back inside the box, sniffling a little before returning his gaze back to Lance. “How did you-?”

“Doesn't matter,” Lance wipes the small tear that treks down Keith's cheek. “I'm sorry I didn't give it to you before. I guess I didn't want you to leave without it even if…”

Lance's words trail off, uncertain and insecure.

Keith touches his wrist lightly, thumb just pressing on that sensitive spot that always sends shivers down Lance's spine.

“Is this a bribe for me to stay?” Keith asks half jokingly, thumb teasing.

“I don't know; did it work?” Lance replies in the same tone, shifting closer to Keith and feeling his heart ready to burst out of his chest. He's sure Keith can feel it too.

"I believe something else came with it,” Keith says closing the distance and pressing their forehead together.

“Did it now?” Lance swallows and he can't stop flickering his eyes to Keith's lips, parted and tantalising.

“Say it,” Keith all but begs and Lance feels his insides twist in such a thrilling way he almost groans. “Say it again.”

“Stay-”

“Not that,” Keith cuts, fluttering his eyes closed and whispering now, his breath hot against Lance's cheeks. “Say the words Lance, _please.”_

Lance shuts his eyes and lets the words come out with an exhale, relieved to finally say the words with such certainty.

“I love you.”

Lance waits for a reply, any kind of reply but he doesn't hear anything else but his own heart pounding in his ear and Keith's breathing against his skin. He fears the silence, fears what it might scream to him.

"Do… Do you lo-”

Lance never finishes his question for Keith grabs the collar of Lance's jacket and pulls him into a kiss.

He might have dreamed of how their first kiss would be like, fantasised about how it would taste, how soft Keith's lips would be, whether they'd kiss slow and gentle or if they'd be desperate and hungry. In many scenarios he would pin Keith against a wall and kiss him raw; others he would be caring and loving.

But nothing could prepare him for the display of fireworks that assaulted him as Keith kissed him, first clumsy and urgent almost messy, but then finding their rhythm and slowly savouring it, letting each other explore and taste.

  
“Lance,” Keith murmurs against his lips, neither of them too predispose to let go just yet.

“Are you still lea-?”

  
“No!” and Keith bites Lance's lip a little.

  
“So you're stayi-?”

  
“Yes!” and now it's Lance who pulls that stunt, making Keith groan lightly.

  
“And you-?

  
“I love you!”

  
Keith pulls away breathless to look into Lance's eyes. He locks contact and there is no uncertainty, no hesitation and no insecurity shadowing Keith's indigo stare. Lance feels like he could get lost in those galaxies.

  
“Lance, I love you t-”

  
And this time it's Lance who doesn't let Keith finish his sentence. He grabs his face between his hands and silences him with another kiss and then another as Keith chuckles against his lips.

  
Thunder announces a storm and they break apart only to laugh as the first drop falls on their noses.

  
Lance grabs Keith's hand and tugs him a little, leading the way back to where they had parted ways, where Keith had said his last goodbye only to eclipse that harsh and cruel word with a new, more meaningful one that makes Lance's heart soar higher than the sky.

**Author's Note:**

> First published on Instagram (username: @/eleanoramckogane)


End file.
